Fort De Soto closed, boil water alert issued for Tierra Verde

Fort De Soto Park is closed to visitors due to a water outage, and Pinellas County has issued a boil water advisory for nearby Tierra Verde, county officials said.

Residents of Tierra Verde, south of Madonna Boulevard, and all residents living along the Pinellas Bayway, including those living off of Sands Point Drive, are under a mandatory boil water order due to the interruption in water service, county officials said.

A boil water notice has also been put into effect for campers still at Fort De Soto . All restrooms, water fountains and campground showers at the park are inoperable, officials said.

Officials said the cause of the drop in water pressure is still unknown. A pipe break is one possibility.

County officials will continue collecting samples for analysis until the absence of contamination is confirmed. The mandatory boil water notice will be in effect for a minimum of 48 hours or until analytical results confirm that the water is safe to drink.

Microbes, if present in the water, can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea and headaches, and pose a special health risk for infants, young children, the elderly and some people with severely compromised immune systems, the release said.

Pinellas County issued these instructions for the boil water alert:

*All water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes must be boiled. As an alternative, bottled water may be used.